1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the telecommunications field and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for routing calls in a mobile communications network to a fixed telephone or mobile terminal by remote control.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless and fixed telecommunications networks are rapidly becoming the primary means of communicating throughout the world. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with the co-existence of these two technologies. For example, it has become increasingly common for users to subscribe for services from different mobile and fixed telephone networks. Consequently, because of dissimilarities in the operations of these networks and their user interfaces, it has become inconvenient for the user who desires to access these services in a consistent and cost-effective manner.
Additionally, many businesses now realize that their communications costs have multiplied since the advent of the mobile phone. For example, many employees prefer to make mobile phone calls, which are relatively expensive in comparison with fixed network calls. In fact, it has become a common practice for employees to make their office telephone number their "personal" number, by diverting incoming calls from their office phones to their mobile phones. Although this increased employee mobility has its obvious advantages, the associated costs are substantial. As a result, many companies have severely restricted their employees' business use of mobile telephones.
Most conventional fixed and mobile telephone networks provide a call forwarding capability, which allows a user to route incoming calls to an alternate phone or terminal. For example, an article entitled: "A Distributed Location System For The Active Office" published in the IEEE Network, January/February 1994 Volume, discloses a method and apparatus for providing localized communications services to individuals with mobile phones. An infrared transmitter in the form of a badge is attached to each individual and to mobile computer equipment in a work facility (e.g., building). A plurality of infrared sensors (receivers) are interconnected by a wired network and strategically placed at fixed locations throughout the facility. The system of transmitters and sensors define a user interface that can be dynamically mapped to the surrounding computer and communications resources. Therefore, an incoming call can be routed directly to the telephone nearest a specific individual or computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,907 discloses an arrangement composed of a telepoint and mobile radio terminal. The user of the mobile terminal reports the identity of the telepoint to a location storage device (memory) in a fixed telephone network. The fixed network forwards incoming calls to the mobile terminal via the telepoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,912 discloses a method whereby a calling party's mobile terminal is registered with a telepoint. When the calling party initiates a call, a paging message is transmitted that contains the address of the telepoint to which the calling party has registered. The paging message is received by the called party's terminal. The called party's terminal is registered with a second telepoint. The address of the calling party's telepoint is downloaded to the called party's telepoint, the two telepoints are connected, and the call is routed to the called party.
Call forwarding is provided as an optional service by existing mobile and fixed networks. However, once the service is initiated, the user typically turns it "on" or "off". Consequently, all (or just a preselected type) of the incoming calls are forwarded while the service is tuned "on", and no calls are forwarded when the service is turned "off". In other words, the user in a mobile communications network does not have the option of screening and forwarding individual incoming calls.
Known solutions to routing problems are primarily concerned with techniques of routing incoming calls to a user. These solutions can increase the mobility of a user. However, with regard to outgoing calls, a user will not experience a similar increase in mobility. In order to avoid using costly mobile connections in certain situations, a user may have to borrow someone else's fixed telephone. The owner of the fixed telephone may be reluctant to let someone else use the phone, and especially for costly long distance calls.